Immunisations: international comparisons

WHO and UNICEF have developed a Global Immunisation Vision and Strategy for 2006-2015 which sets out a strategic framework on immunisation that presents a range of strategies from which countries are able to select those most suited to their needs. This framework includes routine monitoring and assessment of the impact of strategies and activities for reducing morbidity and mortality of vaccine preventable diseases.

There is a range of information available on both the UNICEF and WHO websites that provide comparable information for countries across the world. Data is available for the United Kingdom only. Table 1 (below) presents a summary of some of the statistics available on immunisation uptake rates.

The table shows that for the main childhood immunisations the UK has as a slightly lower uptake compared to all industrialised countries. This is especially marked for measles (80% compared to an average 92%). Compared to the world as a whole, childhood immunisation uptakes rates compare favourably.

Table 1. A comparison of immunisation uptake rates

	% of one year olds immunised against DPTS* (2003)**	% of one year olds immunised against polio3 (2003)**	% of one year olds immunised against measles (2003)**
United Kingdom	91	91	80
Industrialised Countries	95	93	92
World	78	79	77

*Percentage of infants that received three doses of diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus vaccine

** Source: UNICEF and WHO

More detailed information on selected immunisation indicators, in all WHO member states, is available from the 2005 World Health Report (123kb).

Information on the incidence and official country estimates (UK data only) for Diphtheria, Measles, Tetanus, Pertussis, and Polio are available from the WHO report, Vaccine preventable diseases(4773kb): monitoring system, 2004 global summary.